What is zero waste and how can it be achieved?

Since 2006, Zion, Ill.-based A Greener Solution, a landfill avoidance and recycling consulting firm, has been assisting corporations in developing programs to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.

Gutkin will be one of three panelists during a discussion called ·The Buzz About Zero (What is Zero Waste?)ö at Waste & Recycling News´ inaugural Corporate Recycling & Waste Conference on Sept. 27-29 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Gutkin spoke with WRN about the feasibility of zero waste, the benefits to rolling out a program and the costs associated with it.

Q: Can zero waste be done?

A: The hardest part of zero waste is what does it really mean? Most of our customers à on average, are saying 92% of material must be recycled. And at that definition, it´s absolutely possible.

The key is when you say recycle, waste-to-energy, composting, all those other things come after the 92%. It´s 92% actually recycling the commodity for what it´s meant for. The other 8% is then where you can do the waste-to-energy, composting, anaerobic digestion à all those other things that will keep it from landfill. But the true goal should be of any zero waste landfill program is not to have waste.

Q: What are some of the benefits to going zero waste?

A: The No. 1 [benefit] we give is not because of zero waste, it´s because it saves people money. Financially, it makes sense. Financially, it´s sustainable. à If it wasn´t dollar-friendly, we wouldn´t be doing it. Our average customer saves six figures per site.

Q: What are some of the costs associated with zero waste?

A: In our mind, there´s no cost to zero waste. For example, say you´re recycling 50% and you´re paying $50 a ton for trash. The waste-to-energy may cost $100 a ton, but by the time you do your [zero waste] implementation, you may only have 2 tons left for waste-to-energy instead of 50.

You´re going to reduce your volume to dispose of so dramatically that the incremental increase in cost is far outweighed by the benefit of the program. The majority of solutions are going to yield a rebate.

Q: If more organizations go zero waste, do you think it is possible to see the need for landfills and incinerators diminish or even go away?

A: I don´t think they´ll ever go away. At the end of the day, the reason it works for us, from our standpoint, is logistics. We cannot transport recyclables 5,000 miles or 500 miles if they only weighed 5,000 pounds. So the true key to zero waste [to] landfill is being next to, and I´m saying within a 100 miles, of some type of recycler.

Q: How does an organization go about creating a zero-waste program?

A: From an industrial, big-industry standpoint, there´s no reason they shouldn´t all be zero waste. It just comes down to a way of thinking, a way of doing things and having the right partners.

When it comes down to the public, it becomes a hard-selling part because those complex facilities are very expensive. So, it really comes down to commitment of the local facilities to do that. à From a public standpoint, to be zero waste it´s going to cost the public more money. In order to be zero waste at the public level, it will probably need an incremental price [rise for commodities].

Q: What advice do you first give to someone who is thinking about going zero waste?

A: The first thing you need to do is understand what you do. Most customers really don´t understand what they recycle and what´s in the garbage.

After we do a site-walk, the second thing we do is we actually watch the garbage trucks for 48 hours. You have to actually understand what you throw away. How do you know what to recycle if you don´t understand what you´re throwing away?

In order to have a successful recycling program, you have to understand your waste. You have to actually jump inside a dumpster, start at the back of the plant and follow through what´s happening. Once you understand what´s happening, then you can put in the proper programs and processes to have recycling.

Q: How do you see the future of zero waste looking in the next five or 10 years? Will we be closer to reaching the goal of zero waste?

A: My fear, as with anything, is it becomes very popular and thereby superficially achieves it. Then there´s no sustainability or follow-up on it; management forgets about it; and it touches a landfill again. I think we have to be very careful that we prove zero-waste facilities as a sustainable program.

It could very much be the flavor-of-the-day. If it´s not carefully watched or monitored, it´s going to go backwards because it does take time and effort. I think it´s very important that it becomes part of your culture and not just ·we´re going to do it this month.ö à It just comes down to that it has to be part of your culture for it to work. n

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Shawn Wright at swright@crain.com or 313-446-0346.

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